Forum: Why I am running for mayor of New Haven

Updated 10:07 pm, Thursday, October 12, 2017

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Sarah Ganong

Sarah Ganong

Photo: Contributed Photo

Forum: Why I am running for mayor of New Haven

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This November, voters at the polls will see a third name on the ballot in New Haven’s mayoral election — Sarah Ganong, the
Working Families Party
candidate representing the grassroots political party that fights for economic, social, and racial justice.

And you might ask yourself: “Why is she running for mayor?”

Here’s why I’m running: There are significant institutional challenges to establishing an independent party under the dominant two-party system. While major parties can automatically nominate candidates to any office in Connecticut, independent parties, such as the Working Families Party, must collect petition signatures to get on the ballot. Once an independent party has received 1 percent of the vote in an election, they can remain on the ballot in future elections as long as a minimum quantity of votes are met in each subsequent election. By qualifying for the mayoral election in 2017, the Working Families Party will be able to endorse and run candidates all the way down the ticket in the next election here in New Haven.

My candidacy is the first step toward ensuring ballot access for WFP candidates interested in pushing a strong progressive agenda across New Haven.

As part of WFP, I believe in fundamental collective bargaining rights, investments in quality public education and infrastructure, reforms to protect and defend the rights of our immigrant communities, single-payer healthcare, tuition-free public college, comprehensive paid family and medical leave, environmental responsibility, public funding of our elections, and fair taxation of the wealthy. Every year, WFP members closely vet and vote for the candidates who will most effectively build political power for working and middle class families. Our candidate recruitment and training programs have developed some of the state’s most significant progressive victories in recent years, including the election of state Rep. Josh Elliott in Hamden.

Last year, WFP launched its Greater New Haven chapter. Since then, we’ve been encouraged by the tremendous community response. There is clearly a huge appetite for progressive change in New Haven. We hear it while knocking doors advocating for a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and/or taxing the rich more fairly. We hear it during actions defending undocumented immigrants and resisting deportations. We hear it when protesting corporatism and draconian budget cuts in our government. It is clearer each day that the people of New Haven want bold ideas and candidates with an uncompromisingly progressive vision.

I am running in November to put all of these values front and center in New Haven and to ensure that our voices are represented on the ballot in our city moving forward. After the lopsided primary results, many people may feel like their votes don’t matter. I’m here to make sure that they do. A vote for me on Nov. 7 is a vote for a more competitive and accountable political future in New Haven. It’s a vote to make all future votes matter even more.

Should I be elected, I would be honored to serve the people of my city. Should I not, I am incredibly excited to have opened up ballot access for generations of inspiring progressives. I am eager to run on behalf of a real message of fairness and public investment that will grow in elections and movements to come, and I hope you will join me and future WFP candidates in making an even more vibrant and successful New Haven possible.

Sarah Ganong Connecticut is the Working Families Party’s candidate for mayor of New Haven